It's flue fire season...

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You just loaded your stove or fireplace with a few logs, sit back and get ready to enjoy the warmth. Suddenly, you hear a rushing sound, run outside to look up and discover your flue is on fire. Flames and sparks shoot out from the thick smoke and you know action must be taken immediately.


Actually, action should have been taken well before a fire was ever built- that would be a thorough chimney cleaning and inspection by a professional. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, about one third of all rural structure fires (of homes that heat with wood) are caused by improper maintenance or damaged/faulty equipment i.e., lack of cleaning and cracked flue tiles.

Some think that if they burn only seasoned dry wood, their chimney is a lot less likely to build creosote. Somewhat true, however all chimneys will eventually develop a buildup and it's only a matter of time before it may catch on fire. The photo at left shows a heavy build up making a fire possible at any time. The photo just below shows a chimney after a flue fire has taken place.
So what exactly is the best preventative medicine? Have your chimney cleaned at least once per year. Typical costs for this run anywhere from $50 to $100+ depending on several factors. Not only have it cleaned, but thoroughly inspected as well. An inspection will reveal potential problems from cracks, malfunctioning dampers, etc. 
Fires caused by problems with stove pipes are as common as chimney fires. Failure to use triple wall pipe, loose pipe connections and combustibles placed too close the wood stove very often are the cause of a devastating fire. 
So what do you do if you have a chimney fire? Immediately close the fireplace doors or stove damper, go outside and call 911. Using garden hose to put water down the chimney is not recommended. First, chances are, your hose may be frozen and won't work anyway. Second, the cold water will certainly crack the ceramic liner and cause more damage. Also, you may get showered with sparks and debris. Ultimately, you could fall off of the ladder or roof under slippery conditions.
Firefighters who arrive on the scene may use a variety of tactics to put out the chimney fire. First, "chimney sticks" may be placed in the firebox to choke the fire. They look like road flares and are usually quite effective. In fact, the sticks are inexpensive and you may want to purchase a few to have on hand just in case. Firefighters may also discharge a dry type fire extinguisher into the top of the chimney as well. In most cases, they will do everything possible to avoid using water and making a mess of your living room. Granted, if your roof or attic is on fire, they will do whatever is necessary to put the fire out.
IF you've had a flue fire and were lucky enough to not lose your home, do not build another fire until the chimney has been inspected and repaired. 
More good advice would be to avoid loading your stove just before leaving. Naturally, you don't want the fire to go out while you're gone- but instead of filling the fire box, only put in enough wood to last until you get back.
Lastly, make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order. It's not uncommon for those who burn wood to take the batteries out of an offending detector that goes off when you open the firebox door to load wood. If that's the case, try relocating the detector a little further from the stove instead of disabling it.